Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, USA - map, photos and visitor information

Mammoth Cave National Park in south-central Kentucky protects underground passages and the wooded Green River landscape above them. Book a cave tour that matches your group’s mobility and interests, then leave time for a surface walk. Park entry is free, while cave tours and camping have separate charges.

Highlights below and above ground

• Cave tours: Different routes reveal large passages, historic features, or decorated chambers. Their distances and physical demands vary substantially.
• Echo River Spring: A surface trail shows where underground water returns to daylight.
• Forest and river country: Hiking and paddling provide a separate visit beyond the cave schedule.

Know before booking a cave tour

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Confirm the price for your chosen tour before booking. An interagency annual entrance pass does not replace a cave ticket; qualifying Senior and Access passes have specific discounts.

Stairs, low light, and surface weather

Cave paths can be wet, uneven, narrow, and dimly lit. Use handrails and watch for low ceilings. Stay with your group, and stop walking before taking photographs. Children younger than 16 must stay with an accompanying adult age 18 or older.

Deep cave temperatures are around 54°F (12°C), so a light jacket can help even on a hot day. Above ground, prepare for summer heat, ticks, poison ivy, and changing river conditions. Do not touch bats or other wildlife. Report an animal behaving unusually to a ranger.

Protect the cave and its wildlife

Keep your hands off cave walls and formations, and leave all objects in place. Food, gum, and drinks other than clear bottled water are prohibited underground. Use the required biosecurity mats after the tour to reduce the spread of the fungus associated with white-nose syndrome.

Leashed pets can use surface trails, but cannot enter caves or park buildings. Keep leashes no longer than 6 feet and remove waste. Do not bring outside firewood into the park; use the permitted local supply instead.

Reserve the tour and campsite separately

Cave tours can sell out weeks ahead. Use the tour schedule and booking links to reserve through Recreation.gov. Arrive at least 30 minutes before your tour to collect tickets and prepare at the visitor center. Read the specific ticket instructions for check-in, age restrictions, and prohibited equipment. Strollers and backpack child carriers cannot go underground.

All camping requires a permit, and most sites can be reserved. The camping guide separates developed campgrounds from backcountry and riverside sites. A cave booking does not include an overnight site.

Reach the visitor center on the correct side of the river

The visitor center is at 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259. Cave departures and most services are south of the Green River. From Interstate 65, the main approaches use Exit 53 at Cave City or Exit 48 at Park City. Review the official road directions before accepting an automatic navigation route.

North-side backcountry destinations require a different approach. A route across the ferry may be unsuitable when river conditions interrupt service. Call the ferry hotline at 270-758-2166 if a crossing is part of your plan. Allow time for parking and ticket collection, and keep your phone on Central Time for the tour.

Nearby state parks

• Nolin Lake State Park: North of the national park, reached using KY 728 and KY 1827. Check whether your chosen route depends on the ferry.
• Barren River Lake State Resort Park: Near Lucas, with a regional road approach from the Cumberland Parkway to US 31E South.

Choose the physical demands before the tour name

The Historic Tour covers about two miles and 540 stairs over two hours. Mammoth Passage is shorter at 0.75 miles, but still includes 135 stairs. A shorter route therefore does not necessarily solve a stair-access problem.

For an outing above ground, Echo River Spring Trail covers 0.6 miles with boardwalks and viewing features designed for wheelchair users. Sloans Crossing Pond has a 0.4-mile boardwalk around wetland habitat. Check local trail conditions before setting out, particularly after rain.

More remote hikes and river trips require their own equipment and route planning. Do not treat a surface activity as an automatic substitute with the same physical requirements as your canceled or sold-out tour.

Visitor services and accessible options

The visitor-center area has parking, restrooms, water, exhibits, and access to food and a camp store. The Lodge at Mammoth Cave offers rooms and cottages. Confirm seasonal dining and lodging arrangements with its operator.

Mammoth Cave Campground has seasonal water and toilets, with paid showers and laundry at the adjacent service area. Standard sites do not have individual utility hookups. Check a specific RV site before booking. Its listed standard rate is USD 25 per night; Houchin Ferry tent camping lists USD 20.

The accessible activities guide describes the half-mile, two-hour Accessible Tour. Participants need their own transport to the elevator entrance and any personal assistance. If the elevator fails, the emergency exit involves about a mile of uneven trail and 200 stairs. Discuss this limitation with the park before deciding whether the tour meets your needs.

About Mammoth Cave National Park

Guides, exploration, and protection

People used these caves long before organized tourism. In the nineteenth century, enslaved guide Stephen Bishop expanded knowledge of the passages and prepared a cave map in 1842. Mammoth Cave became a national park on July 1, 1941. Its history includes the work of guides, residents, and explorers as well as the geology underground.

Life in forests, rivers, and darkness

Deer and wild turkey use the surface landscape, while bats, cave crickets, and other animals occupy underground habitats. Some fish and crayfish live in darkness with specialized adaptations. Protecting the cave also requires protecting the water and habitats around it.

Contact Mammoth Cave National Park

Call the visitor center at 270-758-2180. Reservations use 877-444-6777. The official contact page provides an email inquiry form. Mail goes to PO Box 7, 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259.